April leaned over the edge of her New York City apartment balcony, looking down at the busy streets below. The skyscrapers shined in the afternoon sunlight. “I wonder where all these cars are going… Work, school, or maybe even across the country!” She said aloud.
She started imagining taking a long road trip across America. With just a backpack with her favorite clothes, a great road-trip playlist, and a fresh new map. April has always been an adventurous girl. She felt a strong need for a change all the time. A need to break free from her high school life.
April’s apartment was close to her best friend, Summer’s, apartment, which was just 2 floors down. April didn’t need to call Summer, as she could just go to her apartment herself, so she rushed down to Summer’s floor and knocked on her door. Summer opened the door, “Hi April! What are you doing here?”
April walked in and said, “Okay, so I know this is going to sound crazy, but I was thinking of going on a road trip across the country for my 17th birthday! And I of course want my best friend to come with me!” She continued, “I expect to drive all the way down to Los Angeles and spend a week or two there. What do you think?” April explained.
“What about school?” Summer asked, surprised but looking excited.
“We’ll deal with that… later,” April laughed.
Summer looked at April, her eyes lighting up with excitement. “A road trip sounds incredible, but how are we supposed to pull this off? We can’t just take off without a plan!” She couldn't help but smile, imagining the adventure that awaited them.
April shrugged, a playful smirk on her face. “We’ll figure it all out! We need to stay on top of our schoolwork while we’re gone, but I bet our teachers would give us the work ahead of time. Plus, think of all the amazing things we could see! We could hang out on the beaches and try out those diners you see in the movies!” April leaned closer, “This could be the adventure I’ve always talked about!”
Summer was considering the idea. “Alright, I’m in. But we need a solid plan. No hopping in the car and hoping for the best!” She reached for her phone to start brainstorming everything from their route to their packing essentials. The thought of a road trip made her heart race, and together, they started planning.
April hadn’t thought of a plan, and she was in fact about to hop in the car and drive off to LA. But Summer was right. What was the point of not using a plan when its needed!
***Later that day***
Soon, everything started coming together. April had her bags packed. And her backpack was overflowing so she dumped a lot out remembering that she would be buying lots of clothes once she got to California. She packed her phone, a charger, and a sketchbook, as she enjoyed drawing. LA would have lots of beautiful landmarks to draw. April also packed a pillow, her laptop for schoolwork, and a few other essentials.
April called Summer to ask if she had packed. Summer answered, “Of course not! We aren’t going for another week. Also, I am booking the hotel. Since you're driving and everything. AND! A 5-star hotel too; a little birthday special.” Summer smiled while telling April.
April felt a rush of excitement as she hung up the phone. “A 5-star hotel? Summer’s the best!” She cheered to herself. She couldn’t believe that in just a week, they would be embarking on their dream trip. The thought made her smile big, imagining all the fun memories they would make on the journey.
The next few days flew by. April and Summer met after school every day to complete their plans. They spent hours on Summer’s laptop, researching the best route to take. Summer exclaimed one night, pointing at the screen. "The Grand Canyon! We absolutely have to stop there! It’s so beautiful."
April nodded in agreement, her eyes sparkling. "And we can take a ton of pictures!" The two girls laughed, already imagining how they would share their adventures with their friends.
As the week went on, April kept her mind on schoolwork while also daydreaming about the beaches, and adventures that awaited them. During the last class April would sit through for a while, she could hardly keep still. She couldn’t wait to take off with Summer and carry their amazing plan.
Finally, the ending bell rang, the two girls rushing home together laughing and smiling through it all. April and Summer loaded the car with their bags, snacks, and a cooler filled with lunches for the road. April’s mom waved goodbye from the apartment door, smiling at their big adventure.
“Ready?” Summer asked, her eyes wide with excitement as she buckled her seatbelt.
“Ready as I’ll ever be!” April replied, starting the car. Rolling down the windows, gearing up the engine, and a final wave- they took off down the road.
Their music was blasting from the speakers. And their voices connecting with the upbeat playlist as they sang along, the wind rushing through the windows.
As they drove, they shared stories and laughed at inside jokes, feeling more alive than ever. They passed through small towns, and they stopped for milkshakes at almost every city they stopped in! They even got lost a couple of times, but those moments only added to the fun.
“Look at that!” April pointed out as they neared the Grand Canyon. The colorful landscape took their breath away. “This is even better than I imagined!” they both whispered, stepping out of the car for a better view.
After a few pictures, they climbed back in the cool, breeze filled car. Finally, after several days of driving, they saw the Pacific Ocean. April squealed with the biggest smile on her face, “We made it!!”
Los Angeles was everything they had hoped for. They checked into their hotel and flopped onto the King-sized beds. The ocean breeze flowed through the balcony door as the sun started to set, with the sky orange and pink and some purple clouds.
The next week was filled with days spent at the beach, visiting famous sights like the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and even spotting a few celebrities. April filled her sketchbook with drawings of everything she experienced, capturing the memories with every stroke of her pencil.
On her birthday, they celebrated with a picnic at the beach and a fire at dusk. They toasted marshmallows and smiled together knowing this was the BEST trip they will ever take together.
“This is the best birthday ever!” April said, her heart full of joy.
“I can’t believe we actually did it,” Summer replied, throwing a piece of wood into the fire. “We went on a real adventure outside of New York!”
Sitting there, surrounded by laughter, the faint sound of the waves, and the glow of the fire, April realized this was exactly what she needed. A break from the ordinary school life. She smiled at Summer, thinking it was the trip they would never forget.
“Here’s to more adventures!” April said, raising her marshmallow stick like a glass.
“Absolutely!” Summer grinned, feeling the warmth of friendship and adventure.
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